Of Hugs and Tears
by Rosalie Weasley
Summary: Set during HBP after Dumbledore's funeral. Ron and Hermione comfort each other about the past and the future.


**Of Hugs and Tears**

By: mrs.potter408

**Summary: Set during Dumbledore's funeral. Some quotes from Half-Blood Prince. J.K. Rowling owns them..not me, but I wish I did…**

"This is probably the hardest bloody thing a bloke can sit through," Ron thought to himself. The shock of Dumbledore's death has still not sunk in, and yet here he was sitting at Dumbledore's funeral. It was the strangest feeling Ron had ever had. He looked over at Harry and Ginny. Harry was impassive and Ginny looked rather sad. Then he looked over at Hermione sitting on his left. She was silently crying, listening to the little wizard preach of the great man who accomplished so many.

Ron honestly didn't know what to do. He didn't know if he should comfort her or just let her cry. He didn't want to get slapped either, but he eventually gave in and nudged his leg against hers. Hermione looked at him with red puffy eyes and a tear-stained face, but when Ron looked in her eyes, he saw more sadness than there should have been. He was about to ask what was bothering Hermione other than Dumbledore's death when many people screamed as arrows flew through the air.

Ron looked up and saw to his horrific surprise Dumbledore's body catching on fire one second and the next second becoming a white marble tomb. It finally sunk in. Dumbledore was dead and Ron honestly didn't know what to do or think except just sit and listen to the murmurs of people's voices as they moved back to the castle.

He noticed that Harry and Ginny were talking about something very serious by the look of it and he turned and found to his surprise, Hermione looking at him like she never had before. Ron swallowed hard and looked back at the girl he had fallen in love with.

"Are you okay?" he asked her tentatively. He didn't want to upset her more.

"I-I'm fine. Its j-just, Ron, well with the war getting more serious and all this Horcrux business, what if we have to sit here and go through it again? What if we loose someone close to us…W-What if someone we l-love dies?" Hermione started to cry again, but she did not break eye contact with Ron.

Ron sat there, dumbfounded and surprised. He had not expected Hermione to say that. And the last sentence, "Why did she say it like that? I mean..she can't possibly, I've loved her forever, but I don't know if she loves me back."

Ron suddenly knew that he needed to tell Hermione the truth, "Well, some of it." He thought.

"Look, Hermione, I can't lie to you. War is like this and we might have to sit here and do this bloody funeral stuff again. But I'm telling you right now that I will be there at those funerals with you to comfort you. I'm not going anywhere and if we have to go on this Horcrux hunt then so be it. But I'm not going to leave you. I could never do that."

Ron thought is sounded kind of dumb in his opinion and he became rather embarrassed by what he said, but he felt he had to say something to her because of what happened between them the past year. He knew he messed up, but Ron told himself that he would make up for it no matter what.

Hermione just sat there, looking at him, and Ron thought he had upset her more. "Hermione, I-I'm sorry, I was just, I mean, I was trying to tell you, but he was cut-off when she grabbed his hand.

"Ron, see, well, it almost did happen. Someone I love almost did leave me..in more ways than one." Ron simply stared at her wide-eyed. She had basically just confessed her love for him. He knew she meant the Lavender fiasco and obviously the poisoning. Ron had basically confessed his feelings for her in the hospital wing just days after the poisoning happened. He apologized for everything and he kissed her hand sweetly to show how truly sorry he was. She had blushed so brightly, but Ron loved it.

And now here he was, holding Hermione's hand while she sobbed and looked at him. "Hermione, I'm right here now. I'm not gone and you didn't loose me. You won't ever loose me. That's one promise I'm not going to break with you. We just need to do what needs to be done and be there for each other and Harry. Don't worry, it will all work out."

Hermione was crying more than ever now, but Ron knew it was not as much sadness as before. Ron grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into a hug, making her sobs muffled in his chest. He sat there and noticed how perfectly she fit in his arms. He reached up and stroked her hair and suddenly realized that he was crying. The thought of loosing her in the war suddenly hit him and Ron swore with all his might that he would be there for her. That they would get through this. He was going to kiss her, tell her exactly how he felt, and he was going to marry her. He knew that for awhile now, but if he lost her..he would loose himself too.

Ron sat there and held Hermione for a while longer until she pulled back and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled and hugged her again. She smiled back and they both knew then that everything would work out, it had too for both of them.

Ron grabbed her hand and stood up. He looked over and saw his older brother Percy looking smugger than ever. "So you're still a git aren't you Percy?" he thought bitterly. "Still being Scrimgeour's new pet." Hermione glanced over at where Ron was glaring. "Ron.." she said softly. He looked at her and said "Excuse while I go flatten out my brother."

"No! Don't start something at a funeral Ron, what would people say?"

"You're right." He mumbled "But he's still a git." Hermione gave him a small smile and looked over to where Harry and Ginny stood. Harry turned away from Ginny and was heading towards them with a very confusing face. Hermione noticed Ginny looked so shocked and sad at the same time.

"Oh Harry, please say you didn't break up with her?" she thought.

Then she saw Rufus Scrimgeour make his way over to Harry where it appeared they were arguing, both having very frustrated faces. Hermione saw the Minister leave after a very heated discussion apparently, and walked over to Percy, looking huffy. Ron was still casting glowering faces at his older brother. She led Ron over to Harry and asked what he had wanted.

Suddenly Ron said to her, "Look, let me go back and hit Percy!"

"No." she said firmly grabbing his arm.

"It'll make me feel better!" This made her and Harry laugh.

"How can Hogwarts close?" she asked softly looking at the castle.

"Maybe it won't," said Ron. "We're not in anymore danger here than we are at home are we? Everywhere's the same now. I'd even say Hogwarts is safer, there are more wizards inside to defend the place. What d'you reckon, Harry?"

"I'm not coming back even if it does open," said Harry.

Hermione knew that, but apparently Ron didn't. He was staring at Harry with his mouth open.

She distinctly heard Harry say that he was going to visit Godric's Hollow and how he was going to track down the rest of the Horcruxes, something Hermione didn't want to think about it at the moment.

"We'll be there, Harry," said Ron, pulling her from her thoughts.

"What?"

"At your aunt and uncle's house," said Ron. "And then we'll go with wherever you're going."

"No-"started Harry, but Hermione cut across him.

"You said to us once before that there was time to turn back if we wanted to. We've had time haven't we?" she asked him.

"We're with you whatever happens," said Ron. "But mate, you're going to have to come round my mum and dad's house before we do anything else, even Godric's Hollow."

"Why?"

"Bill and Fleur's wedding, remember?"

Hermione had completely forgotten about the wedding. How there was to be a wedding in the middle of war was very unlikely to her, but then she looked at Ron and saw him smiling at her. She then knew that whatever would happen, would happen, and as long as Ron was there with her, she knew that once the adventure began, they could help Harry finish it once and for all…together.

**Author's Note: Okay, so I hope you liked the story…kinda long but I thought it was good! SO REVIEW PLEASE!!!**


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